German Tourists Hit by Songthaew While Using Zebra Crossing in Khao Lak

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Amarin from dash-cam.

 

A foreign tourist family was seriously injured after being struck by a local songthaew, while crossing a zebra crossing in Khao Lak, Phang Nga, raising serious concerns over pedestrian safety in tourist destinations.

 

The incident occurred at approximately 15:00, on 15 April along Phetkasem Road in Ban Bang Niang, Moo 5, Khuek Khak Subdistrict, Takua Pa District, Phang Nga province. Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle captured the moment a German family, a father, mother, and their young child in a stroller, attempted to cross the road at a designated pedestrian crossing.

 

 

While vehicles in the right lane slowed down and stopped to allow the family to cross safely, witnesses reported that a local songthaew travelling in the left lane at moderate speed failed to stop in time and struck the couple forcefully. The child in the stroller fortunately escaped injury, but both parents sustained injuries and were rushed to Khao Lak Medical Centre before being transferred to Bangkok Hospital Phuket for further treatment.

 

Caution video below shows the collision.

The incident has sparked renewed concern about road safety for pedestrians, especially foreign tourists, in the Khao Lak area.

 

Mr. Lertsak Ponklin, President of the Phang Nga Tourism Business Association, expressed frustration, stating that repeated warnings and requests have been made to government authorities to address the frequent collisions occurring at this particular crossing. “Despite numerous meetings and promises of improvement, serious incidents like this continue to happen,” he said.

 

He urged the authorities to enforce traffic laws more strictly and implement additional safety measures to prevent further tragedies, particularly in high-traffic tourist zones.

 

 

-- 2025-04-17

 

 

[sammieuk1]

Dear German tourists that's not a zebra crossing it's a killing zone 🤔

 

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

a local songthaew travelling in the left lane at moderate speed failed to stop in time and struck the couple forcefully.

Again at a zebra crossing! Why is it so many times a songthaew involved in accidents or van drivers? They are supposed to be better as they work on the roads every single day. Also, not anything about the driver and his excuse for not stopping when other vehicles did? Ok, seen from the other side, it looks a bit like they try to cross when oncoming traffic is too close. But, as said, when other vehicles slow down and stop, the songthaew driver should as well.

[Gsxrnz]

Judging by the way they just casually sauntered on to the crossing, the tourists thought they were still in Berlin and rules MUST BE OBEYED.

 

I usually find that even a little pre-trip reading about your vacation spot generally alerts you to potential dangers and modes of recommended behaviour to ensure survival.  i.e when travelling in Africa, don't try to pet a wild lion, swim with the crocodiles, or ride a hippo.

 

In LOS, don't cross the road unless there are no vehicles in sight for 100 metres in both directions, and never on a crossing. Never buy grilled pork from a country stall that doesn't have an ice cooler and the closest refrigerator is 30klm away, obey the three-day rule, never argue with an angry taxi driver or bar bouncer, don't wear gold chains, and avoid conflicts with Ladyboys at 3am. 

 

 

[nausea]

Zebra crossings are meaningless in Thailand, you're not in Kansas (Berlin) anymore.

[Pique Dard]

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

a local songthaew travelling in the left lane at moderate speed failed to stop

...what is "a moderate speed" in Thailand? That is the question

[blaze master]

Certainly this must tarnish the image of the safe family friendly island ?

[KhunLA]

Even though  6 lane highway, it's mind boggling the truch was driving through that fast and not paying attention.

 

Just as mind boggling, walking across, pushing your wee one, ahead of you, into 6 lanes, and not paying attention, crosswalk or not.  

 

There's even a crossing light to warn drivers.  Truck didn't seem to make any attempt to slow down.   Guess the vehicle stopping in the 'fast' lane wasn't clue enough someone might be crossing.

 

 

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@8.6672668,98.2531884,3a,90y,179.01h,97.42t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1swS7x3XOAYn3irSwt5STAXQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-7.416347202742159%26panoid%3DwS7x3XOAYn3irSwt5STAXQ%26yaw%3D179.013362324964!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQxNC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

 

 

[MalcolmB]

10 minutes ago, blaze master said:

Certainly this must tarnish the image of the safe family friendly island ?

Khao Lak is on the mainland.

 

Looks like the kid in the pusher is ok, but mother and father are stuffed. 
 

They really should remove all zebra crossings in Thailand, they are supposed to be for safety but have the opposite result in Thailand.

 

[blaze master]

2 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Khao Lak is on the mainland.

 

Looks like the kid in the pusher is ok, but mother and father are stuffed. 

 

I didn't know that. Thanks for correcting my mistake. 

 

Yes the stroller made out good.

[actonion]

18 minutes ago, Pique Dard said:

...what is "a moderate speed" in Thailand? That is the question

Should be 30 mph its a built up area, buildings  street lights, pedestrians

[Ralf001]

4 minutes ago, actonion said:

Should be 30 mph its a built up area, buildings  street lights, pedestrians

 

You think Thailand should change from KM/H to MPH ?

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, actonion said:

Should be 30 mph its a built up area, buildings  street lights, pedestrians

[actonion]

When a tourist from the western world  see's a  pedestrian crossing they assume its a safe place to cross the road, not in Thailand of course..

 

It woud be much safer for Thailand to remove every Pedestrian crossing, and let the tourist fend for themselves, as the Thai public with  their "Me First"  attitude will never learn  the Meaning of a pedestrian crossing

[actonion]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

 

Yes 50kph = 31 mph

[actonion]

7 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

You think Thailand should change from KM/H to MPH ?

Doesnt matter what u change in Thailand, nothing will help with road rules

[Chris Daley]

Lesson learnt.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, actonion said:

as the Thai public with  their "Me First"  attitude will never learn  the Meaning of a pedestrian crossing

 

It's not the pedestrian crossing they respect.

However, some cars will give way to pedestrians. The key is you need to make sure they're slowing down, make eye contact, and let them give you permission to cross. 

 

And it's probably best that these zebra crossings be removed altogether. 

[Tropicalevo]

32 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Guess the vehicle stopping in the 'fast' lane wasn't clue enough someone might be crossing.

 

Road awareness seems to be missing from most drivers mentality.

Old school driving instructors back in the UK used to teach us about being aware of what everyone is doing.

Do not watch the vehicle just in front of you - look beyond that one and you can work out what he will do before he does.

People that I know wave at me when I am out and about, and moan when I do not respond.

I am watching the road.

Not looking for friends.

 

Yes, the songthaew driver should have slowed down when the out side vehicle slowed down, but that rarely happens here.

I think that the outside vehicle hid the pedestrians from view until it was too late.

[lordgrinz]

So attempted murder charges incoming? They need to send a message, because Thai's just aren't getting it.

[Don Giovanni]

12 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

So attempted murder charges incoming? They need to send a message, because Thai's just aren't getting it.

They never will.

 

Thick as bricks most of em.

 

The Don.

[JackGats]

This is one of the reasons I never advise acquaintances back home to book a holiday to Thailand. I don't want to be blamed if they come to harm.

[JackGats]

32 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

...

 

And it's probably best that these zebra crossings be removed altogether. 

Indeed. They're death traps in Thailand.

[IvorBiggun2]

Songthaew's should, by law have speed restrictors fitted.

 

 

 

 

[Rimmer]

Why can not introduce the same system as that exists as in UK

'If a person has one foot on the crossing he has the right of way and if you hit him you are in trouble'.

 

it is backed by the Highway Code.

Here’s how it works:

• Rule 195 of the Highway Code says:

  "You MUST give way when a pedestrian has moved onto a zebra crossing."
  So if someone has even one foot on the crossing, vehicles must stop and let them cross.

• Failing to stop can result in:

  • Points on your licence

  • A fine

  • Potentially a dangerous driving or driving without due care and attention charge if an accident occurs

• If you hit a pedestrian on a zebra crossing, especially if they had priority (i.e. already started crossing), you’d almost certainly be legally at fault, unless you could prove something very unusual (like them jumping into the road suddenly).

•  

Once someone steps onto that crossing, they have the legal right of way, and drivers are expected to slow down on approach and be ready to stop.

 

[300sd]

There is a lot going on here.

Unfortunately for the family they pay a big price and they have my sympathy.

It is unfortunate that they failed to look “both” ways.

It's unfortunate that the guy in the fast lane stopped for them. He should know better! Thai drivers don't see this as a red light! Thai drivers mostly don't see a zebra crossing at all! Also a vehicle behind this “stopper” as a rule will swerve into the other lane to get by!

It's unfortunate that zebra crossings give many a false sense of security.

It's unfortunate that zebra crossings in this country don't work like other countries.

What they offer is a place to cross at your own risk.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Rimmer said:

Why can not introduce the same system as that exists as in UK

'If a person has one foot on the crossing he has the right of way and if you hit him you are in trouble'.

 

The laws in Thailand are actually pretty good - the 'same system' you suggest, actually exists. 

 

Pedestrians on a crossing in Thailand do have right of way.

 

The issue of course are not the laws themselves, but lack of enforcement, lack of penalties to such an extent the laws become useless and no-one knows them, cares about them or adheres to any of them even when they are widely known....

 

 

All of that said: Walking across the road like that, particularly with a child, without attempting to pay any attending to oncoming traffic shows an extreme lack of self preservation and awareness it borders on complete parental negligence. 

 

Thats not victim blaming - the driver of the Songthaew was clearly at fault for speeding and showing no regard for anyone else's safety - but unless these drivers are dealt with seriously and publicly, no one will take notice of the laws that are in place already.  

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, 300sd said:

There is a lot going on here.

Unfortunately for the family they pay a big price and they have my sympathy.

It is unfortunate that they failed to look “both” ways.

It's unfortunate that the guy in the fast lane stopped for them. He should know better!

 

The driver of the cam car in the right lane should also have not stopped and broken the law ?

 

Its such attitudes and behavior that enables drivers to continue driving in this manner contributing to Thailands terrible road accident and fatality stats.

 

6 minutes ago, 300sd said:

Thai drivers don't see this as a red light! Thai drivers mostly don't see a zebra crossing at all! Also a vehicle behind this “stopper” as a rule will swerve into the other lane to get by!

It's unfortunate that zebra crossings give many a false sense of security.

 

I get the point you are trying to make - its made by many - but its an uncivilised attitude that will never lead to any improvement in 'road attitudes'

 

I read posters on here suggesting they never stop at a pedestrian crossing as it offers the 'crosser' the impression of safety (that its now safe to cross) and another driver / rider will blow through the crossing hitting them.

 

When first at a crossing, I 'try not to stop' when on my motorcycle for fear the vehicle behind will not stop and hit me, but in the car I follow the law and stop - its up to the pedestrians to also cross with safety in mind and look out - all of the videos I've seen where pedestrians are hit on a crossing have crossed without looking for traffic, which I find a somewhat shocking lack of self-preservation given Thailands driving standards. 

 

6 minutes ago, 300sd said:

It's unfortunate that zebra crossing in this country don't work like other countries.

What they offer is a place to cross at your own risk.

Thats because the reckless drivers are 'enabled' by the lack of enforcement and lack of penalties - it contributes towards the uncivilised road attitudes. 

 

 

 

 

 

[watchcat]

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle captured the moment a German family, a father, mother, and their young child in a stroller, attempted to cross the road at a designated pedestrian crossing.

 

Perhaps they didn't realise they were not in germany anymore different rules here.

[PB172111]

5 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

Judging by the way they just casually sauntered on to the crossing, the tourists thought they were still in Berlin and rules MUST BE OBEYED.

 

I usually find that even a little pre-trip reading about your vacation spot generally alerts you to potential dangers and modes of recommended behaviour to ensure survival.  i.e when travelling in Africa, don't try to pet a wild lion, swim with the crocodiles, or ride a hippo.

 

In LOS, don't cross the road unless there are no vehicles in sight for 100 metres in both directions, and never on a crossing. Never buy grilled pork from a country stall that doesn't have an ice cooler and the closest refrigerator is 30klm away, obey the three-day rule, never argue with an angry taxi driver or bar bouncer, don't wear gold chains, and avoid conflicts with Ladyboys at 3am. 

 

 

Thanks Mr Hindsight